A:N-A new story dedicated to my favorite coupling!
Italics-Thoughts
Bold-Inner Sakura
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke, the leader of a deadly Spanish Harlem gang. Haruno Sakura, an innocent struggling college girl trying to get past the bumps in her tangled life. When they collide on the feared streets, what will happen[SasSaku
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Caliento Corazones
Hot Hearts
Rap music blared through the crowded streets of Harlem, New York. Kids began to throw punches and get into messy gang fights while others just cheered them on. People danced on cars and on the sidewalks, spraying graffiti in the alleys and the shop windows, making sure not to get caught.
Haruno Sakura missed a narrow glass bottle being flung at her as she clutched her books tighter to her chest. It was blazing out outside and the air smelt horrible. Everywhere there were people in baggy clothes making incoherent whistling sounds and blowing smoke. She screamed as two teenage boys in black ran past her and slammed a pipe into a glass music shop window. Shards of glass stuck to her bare legs as she felt blood trickle down into her black sandals.
Gang members snickered at her trembling form. 'You should be used to this, it happens every day Sakura' she yelled mentally. Sakura's emerald eyes widened as she forced herself to run faster towards her collage school complex. Her family was very poor; her father was a police officer but was shot in the line of duty. That only left her and her mentally-unstable, agoraphobic mother.
Sakura has started babysitting and getting small jobs ever since she could remember. The people on the other floors of their apartment complex usually brought their dirty laundry for her mother to do and paid well. Sakura clenched her fists as she dodged another glass bottle. 'I hate this' Sure, she was addicted to the music and loved to dance, but this lifestyle…
'I can't take it!'
Two girls rounded the corner and ran up to her. Sakura let out a sigh of relief. "Hinata!" "Tenten!" The two girls smiled. Hinata wore a pair of skinny dark washed jeans with a grey knit top. Her violet hair was done in a long French braid while her milky eyes were coated with a little makeup. Tenten was in black cropped sweatpants with a white polo and a gray cami peaking out underneath.
Both of her friend's were very wealthy. Then why live here? Hinata's family owned chains of hotels and stores while Tenten's father ran a business that stretched from New York to Chicago about making steel weapons.
Sakura always felt being the odd girl out. She wore an old pair of dark blue jeans and a simple crimson tank top. Looped around her neck was her most prized possession, a silver necklace with an S made out of rhinestones her father had given her for her fourteenth birthday.
Tenten shuffled through her schedule. School had just started two days ago. "Where are you going after homeroom?" she inquired.
Sakura frowned. "Math" she groaned. The girls laughed.
Hinata's eyes widened. "Did you hear?!" she yelped. Sakura stared at her friend.
"W-What?" she asked, uncertain at her usually shy friend's burst.
"Uchiha Itachi got busted for cocaine, again" she said, exasperated. She rolled her eyes, twiddling her thumbs. "If Neji even ever acted out of hand…" her voice trailed off.
Tenten snorted in a very unladylike manner. "I can't believe he's actually related to you Hinata" she hissed, even though red stained her cheeks.
Hinata paused for a moment. "I wonder why we even make trades and communicate with the Uchiha's" she whispered. Hinata swallowed a lump in her throat. "I don't mean to be mean or stereotypical but they're just so…bad" She shuddered.
At the mention of the last name 'Uchiha', Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her father was killed by the infamous 'Uchiha Itachi' after he tried to comprehend him after robbing a store.
'I don't get it, the Uchiha family is the wealthiest with the Hyuga family, why are their sons so…so horrible?!'
Tenten eyed her quiet friend. Hinata looked at her worriedly. "I said something wrong, didn't I?" she asked sadly. Sakura forced a smile and hugged her friend.
"Nonsense!" "You know just how I hate the Uchiha's, it's not your fault" she reassured Hinata.
Still, some tension rose and lingered as the three girls walked along the boardwalks towards their college.
Sakura cursed. "I forgot my math book!" she yelled unhappily. Hinata checked her watch. "You have time, we'll cover for you" she said to her panicking friend.
Sakura spun around on her heel and began jogging away from her friends. 'I'll take the shortcut' she thought as she sped into the small forest. Birds chirped as squirrels ran up trees. A bunny ducked behind foliage of dark elephant eared leaves.
It was cool inside the forest as Sakura ran and ducked under tree branches and snake holes. A snapping twig was heard as a small masculine cry.
Sakura's eyes widened as she ducked under a bush. She mentally thanked herself that she had dyed her hair dark brown for the beginning of the semester. Her catlike green eyes stared in horror at the scene before her. She sucked in a breath. Three tall, attractive boys stood, arms crossed as one badly beaten boy was on the ground. His dark green jumpsuit nearly blended in with the atmosphere. He had a black and blue eye, scratches and marks all over the visible parts of his body. His arm was twisted back so painfully that Sakura knew it was broken. Blood trickled down from his swollen lip.
He coughed off blood. "I-I promise, I will get the money and bring it to you tomorrow!" "P-Please spare my wonderful youth!" he pleaded.
The leader, his hair in dark black spikes, and red swirling eyes looked unemotionally at the shaking boy and ignored his plea.
Sakura's eyes widened as he striking features.
'He's an U-Uchiha!'
The boy took out a sharp pocket knife.
Sakura looked at the Uchiha's friends. Her eye's widened as the size of saucers as she cupped her hands over her mouth, being extremely careful not to make a sound.
Standing coolly against a tree was none other than Hyuuga Neji. His traditional outfit was misplaced with baggy jeans and a dark brown sweatshirt and a backwards blue baseball cap.
'Oh my god, does anyone know?'
Fear raced through her body as she felt his pale eyes lock on the bush she was hiding in. She crouched lower, silently praying.
'He sees me, I'm going to die!'
Oddly, he didn't speak up but just narrowed his eyes. Sakura saw something flicker across his face for just a second at his sight of the injured boy…regret? But any emotion whatsoever was gone and was untraceable in a matter of milliseconds.
The last boy had fox-like features with the bluest eyes Sakura had ever seen. His blond hair was tangled, messy and was ruffled under his white backwards cap. He was fairy attractive and had the boyish charm-look on him. The teenage boy had on baggy black jeans and an orange tee-shirt with an unzipped black sweatshirt. Sakura also noticed a chain with a blue pendant strung from a black cord around his neck.
The blond gangster grinned cheekily and stepped in front of the injured boy and his friend.
"Nah, Sasuke-bastard let's give him one last chance, eh?" he asked, smirking and crossing his arms. Sasuke gave a pitied look at the trembling boy and slowly put back his knife.
"One day" he said coldly, holding up a finger.
The boy nodded so fiercely that Sakura thought he was going to hurt his poor self even more.
The leader delivered one last hard kick to the boy's side. The boy yelped and clutched his side, rolling in the brown leaves.
"Let's go" the leader said. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked calmly out of the forest, the two boys following behind.
Sakura saw the Neji boy glance back once more before disappearing back onto the thug streets.
As soon as they were out of sight, Sakura immediately jumped out of the bush and rushed over to the hurt boy's side. Sakura was currently studying medicine and planned to become a doctor. She rolled the boy over on his back. Her brown hair fell over her face.
"Are you a-alright?" she asked worriedly. She saw the boy's eyes widen.
"P-Please do not tell anyone about this!" he begged.
Sakura bit the inside of her gum and looked nervously at his injuries.
"I think you should go to the hospital" she advised. The boy shook his head.
"No, please forget-t that you ever saw me!" he pleaded. Sakura stepped back and gulped. The boy staggered to his feet, stared at her for a moment and then limped out of the forest.
Sakura was in shock as her senses came flooding back to her. She checked her watch and saw that she was already fifteen minutes late. She sped out of the forest, dodging the bottles and cigarette buds. She cursed back in Spanish at the hasty gang members who wanted to get 'some'.
She passed an alley where she saw the three boys. Her head whipped back and she felt onyx eyes lock onto hers.
Sakura felt herself to run faster.
Her sandals rounded the corner as she bounded up the apartment complex. Sakura's hands searched hastily for her key. She found it and turned the lock. Not bothering to even take off her shoes, Sakura ran into the main kitchen to see her mom coloring. She watched her mother look up and a smile break out on her face.
"Sakura, back soon?" she inquired, looking at the clock: even though she couldn't read it.
Sakura cracked a smile. "No mom, I forgot my book" she explained.
Her mother's face twisted into a thinking expression. Green eyes looked over to see a large paper-bag covered bag on the kitchen table top.
"Book!" she exclaimed brightly, pointing.
Sakura smiled. "Yeah mommy, book" she stated. Sakura grabbed her textbook and spun around to come face to face with her mother.
Sakura ignored her tears as she hugged her mom closely. Love wasn't in her mother's limited vocabulary so Sakura could never express to her how much she meant. "Kiss" she stated playfully, pointing to her cheek.
Sakura's mother smiled and kissed her cheek. "Kiss" her mother repeated blandly, though trying to make it joyful.
Sakura made her way to the door and craned her neck to face her still smiling mom. "I love you" she said quietly.
"Kiss" her mother blurted out expectantly. Sakura felt tears well up in her eyes but fought them.
"Yes mom, kiss…"
With that said, Sakura shut the door and rushed outside. She checked her watch and literally sprinted down the sidewalks. Sakura ran up the pavement steps and marveled at its beauty even though they were in such a low-class environment. If Sakura hadn't got a full-paid scholarship, she wouldn't have probably never have eve gotten to study at a college.
'I will become a great doctor, then I'll move mom and me into a big mansion where we'll be able to finally live!' she thought proudly as she emptied her stuff into her locker and made her way into advanced math. She opened the door and felt all eyes on her suddenly.
The teacher had some sort of toothpick in his mouth and stopped shuffling threw his papers.
"Ah, Ms. Haruno care to finally join us?" "Skipping school only to get caught?" he asked. His tone was arrogant and smug. Some kids snickered at their teacher and the stiff Sakura.
Sakura looked at her teacher with a look of disgust. Her dark jade eyes hardened. "Actually, my mother was not feeling well" she replied.
The room went silent. The teacher stopped. He cleared his throat as an awkward silence began to linger.
"Um…Ms. Haruno please take a seat and open your book to page twenty seven" he said quietly.
She nodded curtly and took a seat to a boy in the back. His features were similar to the gang leader she saw earlier but his hair was not spiked and he was wearing completely black. She felt his eyes on her. Sakura turned to him to see a cocky smirk on his face. Her hands clenched at the sides of her desk.
"Is there something you need?" she asked through gritted teeth.
The boy's smirk got wider as he leaned closer to her. "What's with your mom ugly…is she like, retarded or something?" he asked conceitedly.
Sakura wanted to punch this guy's lights out. How dare he, how dare he disrespect her, someone he didn't even know-and her family! She gritted her teeth. "Do not ever speak of my mother in that way" she stated angrily. She heard the teacher clear his throat again.
"Ms. Haruno!" "Sai, stop your reckless behavior!" he barked and began to write on the board some advanced algebra expression and some math vocabulary. Joy.
Sakura ignored the boy that had pissed her off and watched her teacher. She saw a boy raise his head from the corner of her eye. "Yes?" the teacher sighed.
"When is the day over?" a lazy voice asked. The room erupted in a low laughter. Sakura saw the teacher glare at the boy. He put his arms behind his head and leaned back in his desk. "This is troublesome" he simply said. More laughter and giggles spurted around the classroom. Someone dropped all their pencils will others ignored the teacher and began to gossip.
Sakura gaped: did anyone ever hear the song R-E-S-P-E-C-T? This is how people were in college?
As if reading her thoughts, she felt a hand creep up her thigh. Her face began to redden; no boy had ever even laid a hand on her. "Ugly, not everyone is innocent as you" Sakura wanted to gag. Sakura snapped her book shut as she shot out of her desk and slapped Sai across his face. His face slammed back from the hit.
"You pervert!" she hollered. Some boys hooted while girl's whispered and gave death glares. The teacher slammed his chalk on his messy bureau and glared at Sakura.
"Ms. Haruno, go see the headmaster immediately" he ordered firmly.
Sakura reluctantly picked up her books and looked at the emotionless boy by her. A large red hand print was smeared across his face from the impact. Sakura smirked inwardly.
'Who's the ugly one now?'
Sakura hurriedly paced out of the claustrophobic classroom. She felt like crying for now reason, but she just wanted to release all of her emotions bundled up inside her frail figure. She wiped the corner of her eye to get rid of the charcoal gray eyeliner that Hinata had given her. Sakura's sandals echoed through out the silent hallways as she opened a wooden door.
A young woman with curly black hair and black-framed glasses looked up from filling out some paperwork. "Ah, good morning Sakura!" she said cheerily. Sakura grinned and tucked her books under her arms.
"Hey Suzume!" she greeted.
"What brings you here?" "Shouldn't you be in class at this hour?"
"Hmph" "Mr. Shiranui told me to come down and see the headmaster" Sakura pouted. "But I didn't do anything!" she protested.
Suzume smiled and pointed to the office behind the receptionist's desk. "You can go in, she's right in there" she said. Sakura nodded and sauntered over.
The room was covered in fuzzy blue carpet. The headmaster's desk was made from dark polished wood. Sakura noticed a bookcase filled with medical textbooks to the right. The walls were painted a light creamish color. Some pictures hung from the walls. A fresh vase of flowers were on her desk as well as stacks and stacks of paper. The bright light was on and the windows were wide open giving the room an airy business calm look. Sakura nervously tugged at her hair.
"Um...hi" she started lamely.
The headmaster looked up. She was a beautiful young-looking lady with a dark purple dress on and a little black mesh cami revealing under. Her dark hair came up to her ears. "Hello, Sakura, Mr. Shiranui called and said that you were behaving badly??" She gave Sakura 'the look' and then shook her head.
Sakura's face softened and she looked like a hormonal teenager getting a detention for the first time. "B-But, it was his fault!" "Sai was…" her voice trailed off. Her mind drifted to a tone that was…frightful. "Shizune, you're not going to expel me are you?" her voice was timid and quiet.
"Sakura, education is everything…" He sat on her bedside and paused for a moment.
"If you don't have one, you will not do well in life, how will you provide for yourself and the people you love?" Her dad pinched her nose playfully. Ten year-old Sakura hugged her plush teddy bear as her dad tucked her under her pink covers.
"I will be the best!" she stated enthusiastically. Her dad smirked and kissed her on the cheek.
"That's what I want to hear from my princess…"
Her father's cell phone began to ring. He dropped the fairy tale bedtime book he was holding to pick it up. Sakura could hear the urgency on the other line. "Alright, I'll be there" her father rushed. He didn't notice his daughter's face sadden. "I have to go, take care of your mother" he said, putting his cell phone away and drawing his gun.
How many times had she heard him say that? Sakura fought back her tears as her dad turned of the lamp and hurried downstairs. Her horrorstricken face just stared up at the ceiling. The full moon shone brightly outside of her window. Silently praying, emerald eyes drifted off into a slumber.
Hours later, she woke up to a piercing wail. Sakura rubbed her tired eyes and nearly fell out of bed. Feeling the wall, she flicked on the light switch and hurried to the sound of the scream. Green eyes widened at the sight before her.
Her mother was curled up of the sofa, her eyes wide as plates with tears rolled down her pale cheeks. Sakura followed her mother's gaze to the TV screen. Sakura gasped. Her mother began to scream again, it was painful to hear and truthfully, Sakura didn't even understand what she was yelling. It wasn't English or slang but it sounded Asian, somewhere in the east.
Sakura looked shakily at the television. There was her father's body being hauled into an ambulance and Uchiha Itachi's picture flashing in lights.
Shizune exhaled a breath and laced her fingernails together. Sakura felt a pair of beady eyes on her. It reminded of her going to see the doctor. "Sakura, this is not a wild high school, this is college where people study to do their job for life"
"In my school, there will be no disobedience at all and no foolishness"
Shizune's features softened. "But knowing you, I know you didn't cause the incident, therefore you will have no punishment"
Sakura felt all air come back to her. Her hands that were tightly clenching the fabric on the chair slowly released. Sakura bowed and murmured something barely audible. Shizune laughed.
"I know that being a Japanese in Harlem must be tough" Her dark almond-shaped eyes twinkled. "But remember you are not alone" she said.
Sakura nodded. "Yeah, I think I met a couple of transfer yakuza students" she grumbled. Her mind went back to the attractive boy with the dark hair and the swirling multi-colored eyes.
Shizune nodded. "There a ton of exchange students, some bad, and some good" She glanced at the clock upon the wall. "Now hurry up to your next class" she half-advised, half-ordered. Sakura smiled and nodded. She gathered her books in her arms and proceeded to walk out of the main office. Right before she stepped out, something caught her eye.
Sakura's jaw dropped. "Shizune, you've met…Tsunade-sama?" her voice was with utter respect and disbelief.
Shizune smirked. Her eyes traveled to the picture. "Yes, I was wondering when you were going to see it"
There on a wall was a picture of the legendary Tsunade and Shizune. They were both smiling and were in front of some sort of green tower. Shizune looked younger, with a rice-paper scroll rolled in her hands.
Sakura idolized Tsunade. So did almost everyone who wanted to get into the medical field these days. Tsunade was the master; she was the best of the best. She was very caring and knew how to fix almost everything. She made new cures and antidotes and has been mentioned in the medical textbooks. Her teachings were extraordinary though she barely taught; only one accomplice was ever mentioned.
'And that was…Shizune?'
Sakura took in a breath slowly and cocked her head. "You…trained…in, Japan with….Tsunade-sama?"
Shizune chuckled at Sakura's expression. "Yes, I trained with her after my uncle Dan passed away in a war" "Tsunade took me in and taught me everything she knew" she finished proudly.
"…Wow" Sakura muttered. She looked over at Shizune. "Then why are you the headmaster of a college, in Harlem, New York?" she inquired, emphasizing the location.
Sakura missed Shizune's eyes narrow dangerously. She cleared her throat and stared at Sakura. "Let's just say that some…unfortunate events occurred making me leave Japan" she said darkly. Shizune's eyes went back to being squarely fixed on the picture.
Sakura didn't push it. "I'll see you later Shizune" she whispered.
"Bye Sakura"
"Bye…"
Sakura looked once more and then ran out of the office. She checked her schedule that she had created with her advisor. Since Sakura was new to college, she was completely confused and saw that things ran extremely differently. To graduate college, a person would have to earn one hundred thirty three credits. Each class was worth a certain amount of credits.
Two semesters made up one year. Sakura was majoring in science and wanted to become a doctor, therefore she would enroll in a pre-med program to study math (which didn't go so well), physics, biology, and chemistry and each group was divided into parts.
Sakura was on her way to chemistry one when she stopped by her locker to quickly get her stuff. She passed Tenten along the crowded hallway and waved. Sakura entered the chemistry lab and took a seat in the front row.
A girl with long black hair in a gray camouflaged outfit was to her right. Sakura crossed her legs and waited for everyone to arrive. Students began to pour in quickly. Sakura looked up in admiration at her teacher. She had long, black wavy hair and the prettiest red orbs Sakura had ever seen. Her outfit was red and bandaged with her white lab coat thrown over. Some purple makeup was around her eyes. Sakura noticed the engagement ring on her index finger.
Sakura tapped her pencil and began to drift off as she began to explain the function of all the muscles in the human body. 'This is going to be a long day…'
Sakura stretched her legs as she walked out of the college campus, bag slung securely around her shoulder. She waved to Hinata as she hopped in the Mercedes Benz with her cousin. Sakura didn't meet his gaze but felt his eyes raking all over her body. She didn't know where Tenten was but she thought she was probably with her dad.
Sakura walked over to the library across the street. She loved to read, it may have sounded geeky but Sakura could always get "lost in a book". She adored romantic ones.
She walked inside and instantly met the smell of pressed paper and books. People were either browsing or at small tables chatting and doing homework. Sakura saw the computer's filled with older college students, typing away. The sound of the printer could be heard. Sakura's shoes were silent and she walked over to the science rack. Her eyes ran over the titles and looked around for a certain book she needed for a paper due tomorrow.
Sakura heard a sudden noise fill the air. Librarians tried to hush the people but to no avail. She craned her neck to see who was causing all the commotion. In walked none other than the gang leader she had seen earlier today. Sakura gasped. She had found out that he was Uchiha Sasuke, younger brother of Itachi and son to Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha.
She clenched her fists and continued to search to find her book. Sakura ignored his eyes as he seated a couple of tables away from her.
Sakura's eyes lit up as she found the book. She grumbled, annoyed as she saw it was on the top shelf. Her hands tried to reach it but she couldn't even reach the tip. She tried to pry her fingers onto the spine but she couldn't. Sakura's jaw dropped as she felt a figure loom over her and easily grabbed the book.
Sakura spun around to see. Her shoulders drooped.
Standing there was Uchiha Itachi, a smirk spreading on his face. And there was Sasuke, his face angry slowly approaching the duo.
Tsuzuku.
That was the longest I've ever written! Everyone is alive in this fic. I know nothing about college because I'm not there as yet so I'm sorry for any mistakes. I hoped you enjoyed!!! Reviews are greatly appreciated!
Peace,
Shadowsakura321